


One More Time (With Feeling)

by red_crate



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Complicated Relationships, Feelings Realization, Fix-It, Hopeful Ending, M/M, Minor Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-05-01 11:16:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14519340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/red_crate/pseuds/red_crate
Summary: “Have you ever had those dreams where you're falling, and it feels like you're going to die once you hit the ground? I'm talking total freak out, knowing you're in peril and there's nothing you can do about it.” Tony runs his thumb along Peter's bare arm, grounding himself.





	One More Time (With Feeling)

**Author's Note:**

> Like many of us who have seen IW, I needed a fix-it. This is my version of that. If you don't like the idea of Peter/Tony, this fic is not for you. There might have been some hand-waving of general canon stuff. This fic also has Tony and Pepper on the cusp of ending things.

The blanket Tony slept under has been kicked to the floor and he's covered in sweat when he wakes, heart still racing, and eyes wet. He can feel a scream caught in his throat that doesn't pull free. Tony surges up to look around his lab in hopes of grounding himself. He wishes he were in his bed with Pepper beside him. 

But that’s not...she's not here to sooth him, and, he realizes, the thought of turning to her in this moment feels wrong. A lie that they been perpetuating too long. 

“Friday, give me Pepper’s location.” He pulls the neck of his shirt up to wipe the sweat off his face. Even if he isn't sure he wants to see her, he needs the reassurance of her safety. 

“Her office,” Friday informs him. 

Tony is already heading to the closet to change into fresh clothes as he asks, “Peter's location?” He checks the time and tries to remember what day it is. 

“Currently in the parking lot at his school.”

Right, week day. Tony zips up his jeans. Lacing up his boots takes too much time, but then he's barking an order to the elevator to take him to the garage, telling Friday to let Pepper know he will be home later. His stomach twists with guilt. He steps out to find his least ostentatious car and has Friday patch him through to Peter's phone. 

“Mister Stark,” Peter's voice comes through the speakers, chirpy and surprised. The honorific paired with Peter's almost delighted tone has something dark snaking under his skin in a way he's never let it before now. 

He takes a left, going too fast. “Hey, kid.” He winces as the words roll off his tongue, but he continues. “You have the thing, right?” 

It's obvious Peter doesn't want to answer truthfully, fearful of being left out of whatever he thinks might be going on that has Tony contacting him. He wavers. “Uh, um...the museum with my class but, I mean...” 

Tony shakes his head. He can see the school from here and the gaggle of students standing around the busses that are supposed to transport them. “Hang on.” He ends the call and parks the car in the faculty parking lot. 

Peter probably asked Friday where Tony was, because the kid is already walking across the lot to him, pace quick and back pack slipping down his arm so he can unzip the compartment his suit is kept in. 

This is a mistake, knows it is...knew it was before he even made the decision. That doesn't stop Tony from unbuckling and unlocking the doors so Peter barely has to stop before he is sliding into the passenger seat. 

“What's up?” Peter sound breathless, and he smells like soap and everything pure in the world. His presence is a balm to Tony’s harried mind. 

For a moment that feels like it stretches across ages, Tony has a full body sense memory of holding Peter as he dissolved into nothing. The ache that has been in his chest since he woke up curls tightly, hotly as imagined pleas for help echo in his ear. 

Tony turns to Peter and cups a hand over his forearm where it rests on Peter's leg. He wants to gather him up and pull him close just to replace the too-palpable nightmare he had. Words fail him for a moment. It's not until Peter's expression turns concerned and he opens his mouth that Tony starts talking. 

“Have you ever had those dreams where you're falling, and it feels like you're going to die once you hit the ground? I'm talking total freak out, knowing you're in peril and there's nothing you can do about it.” He runs his thumb along Peter's bare arm, grounding himself. 

“Yeah,” Peter drags the word out, clearly unsure where Tony is going with this. “It's stress related. They are pretty common for some people.” He tucks a leg beneath himself so he can turn more fully towards Tony. He doesn't ask any questions though it's clear he's about to burst with them, eyes trained in Tony like he raises and sets the sun. 

Tony looks at his hand resting on Peter's arm and squeezes his hold before letting go completely. “Stress. Yeah, I know something about that.” He sighs. “I know you do too. I had something like that happen last night. But I wasn't falling. I...” His voice creaks.  

Peter opens his mouth but then closes it again, seemingly deciding not to say anything. Instead, he variously reaches across the console and hooks his arm around Tony’s neck. 

The hug breaks Tony and puts all his pieces back together. He wraps Peter tightly in his arms and tucks his face against the side of Peter’s neck. This, this right here is what’s real and why Tony doesn’t want to lose. 

“Peter...” Tony tries to talk again, suddenly choked up with the tears from earlier. He blinks them back and pulls back so he can look at Peter again. “I know it was just a really messed up nightmare, but it felt real.” 

Any other time and he would feel ridiculous blabbing about a  _ nightmare _ to anyone, especially this teenager who he isn’t supposed to care about as much as he does. Pepper or Rhodey would be the only ones he might confide it, yet here he is widening his circle of confidants and loved ones for Peter, needing him. 

Peter is nodding his head already. He bites his bottom lip, a gesture that is nerves but still pulls Tony’s attention and makes that dark thing inside him take interest. “I have them too. A lot.”

Sitting back in his seat, he lets go of Peter completely so he can breathe. His mind is racing, not even sure how to explain what he’s feeling, knowing he shouldn’t be doing it like this anyway. He tilts his head towards Peter. “I shouldn’t have come here. You’ve got your field trip.”

That spurs Peter into action. He shakes his head. “No! It’s okay!” Through the windshield, Tony can see the other students lining up to board the buses. Ned is texting on his phone, and Tony isn’t surprised when he hears a buzz coming from Peter’s pocket. “I’m really glad you came. I want to help,” Peter continues. 

“Thank you,” Tony says simply. He presses his hand against Peter’s neck because he’s too weak to give up the chance. Peter’s shoulders lose some of their tension. “Go on. Your friend is looking for you, and I’ve got some stuff I need to take care of first. Thank you for putting up with an eccentric old man like me.” He smiles tightly. 

Peter raises a hand and holds Tony’s to his neck for a moment before dropping it. “Sure. If there’s anything, anything at all, I can do, tell me.” His gaze is intense, just like every other time Peter comes on a little too strongly.

Tony doesn’t even know if Peter understands the signals he’s sending out. He’s tired of deflecting them however, not when his own brain seems intent on forcing Tony to face his feelings. 

He smiles a little softly before nodding. “I’ll see you later, kid.” Then Peter is climbing back out of the car and jogging over to Ned. He watches as Peter looks back over his shoulder, waving and grinning shyly back at him. 

Tony’s fingers are already tapping on his phone. 

“Tony,” Pepper’s voice comes through, pleasant. “I was just going to call you. I wanted to know if you wanted to go on a run with me before lunch. I had an early conference call this morning and missed my workout.” 

Tony turns car on. “I need to talk to you.”

Pepper doesn’t wait a beat before saying, “That sounds ominous.What’s going on?”

His heart clenches, but Tony knows he has to do this. “Just, meet me in the park at nine-fifteen. It’s nothing life and death. Unrelated to the Initiative.” 

“You know I don’t like surprises, Tony.” Pepper warns, but her voice sounds less stressed. 

“I know.” This isn’t going to be a surprise for Pepper though. Tony frowns. “I’ll see you at nine-fifteen.”

“Alright, see you then.” Pepper sounds purely business-like, irritated. 

When the call disconnects, Tony feels equally relieved and sad. He thinks back to the dream and then to the way Peter had felt, just a few minutes ago, in his arms. Even if things don’t work out the way he hopes it will, he thinks this will be a good thing. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I am slowly sinking into the MCU fandom after...10 years? I'm a multishipper.  
> If you wanna come hang out with me on Tumblr, I'm [here](http://the-redcrate.tumblr.com).


End file.
